Master Blenders: Nick Perdomo of Perdomo Cigars

Truly, a one-of-a-kind personality, Nick Perdomo Jr. has taken a little cigar business that started in his garage 25 years ago, to a fully, vertically-integrated manufacturing company, which today produces many of the world’s best premium cigars. And he did it for two very good reasons: the love of his late father, Nicholas Sr., a Cuban émigré who barely survived the tyranny of the Cuban Revolution – and carried one of Castro’s bullets in his chest to the grave – and for the rewards afforded those who are able to achieve “The American Dream.”

The timing couldn’t have been better. By the time the Cigar Boom of the 1990’s hit, Nick was in the thick of it, and the quality of his cigars, like the Perdomo Reserve (originally the La Tradición Cabinet Series), Perdomo2, Edición de Silvio, Lot 23, and Perdomo Habano, was so outstanding, they have become modern classics, with several more editions like the Perdomo Champagne series, 20th Anniversary, and Small Batch series now on their way to likewise status.

More recently, the Federal Drug Administration deemed that premium handmade cigars would be regulated in the same way as cigarettes, snuff, and pipe tobacco; a move that will undoubtedly force many manufacturers out of business. Always the fighter, Nick is prepared to go to the mat once again for his family, his employees, and his customers.

In this podcast, Nick gets into the nitty-gritty over the fight with the FDA, opines on the Obama Administration’s relaxing of restrictions with regard to the ongoing Cuban Embargo, the success of the Perdomo Craft Series, and, having played drums for over 40 years, his love of music.

Nick Perdomo with Ray Massey of Pearl Drums, taking delivery of his new custom kit.